1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system to automatically activate automobile hazard warning lights upon rapid deceleration of the automobile as by hard braking.
Automobiles are normally equipped with conventional brakelights that are turned on upon activation of the brake pedal when slowing down or stopping the vehicle. A driver in a following vehicle will be alerted accordingly. However, the following driver will generally not know whether the first vehicle is being braked in a normal slowing manner or rapidly as in an emergency situation.
The present invention contemplates the automatic activation of the automobile's hazard warning lights upon rapid deceleration of the automobile as by hard braking. Thus the following vehicle will see the hazard warning lights in an emergency situation and be able to react more quickly thereby avoiding a collision which might otherwise occur.
Each year, in the United States alone, there are approximately twelve million auto accidents resulting in more than forty thousand deaths and two million injuries. It is estimated that approximately half are rear-end type collisions. If the automatic activation system could reduce these figures by only five percent, the human and financial benefits would be enormous.
Modern highway systems in or near metropolitan areas are designed to accomodate large volumes of high speed vehicular traffic. It appears, however, that many commuters who use these highways on a regular basis are so familiar with the layout of the roadway that they become complacent and follow too closely or fail to use proper caution under circumstances of reduced visibility. This has resulted in an alarming increase in the frequency and severity of chain reaction collisions both in this country and abroad.
An automatic activation system, by providing the earliest possible indication of heavy braking or collision, would greatly diminish the frequency and severity of such events.
The automatic activation system would also have value in situations involving only one or several vehicles. It appears that there is often a significant time lag following an accident or dangerous situation before many motorists remember to activate their flashers. And, needless to say, in the event of serious injury it is unlikely that an activation will occur.
2. Description of the Prior Act
Various systems exist for controlling automobile brake lights to indicate braking situations to following vehicles. The conventional system is a mechanical switch that closes on brake activation to energize the brake lights. Then, upon release of the brake the switch opens and the lights extinguish.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,887 discloses a brake light arrangement that provides a time delay in the extinguishing of lighted brake lights. Thus, when the lights are energized they will continue to be illuminated for a predetermined period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,115 discloses a system in which the brake lights are lighted in the usual manner under normal braking conditions but flash when the anti-lock braking system of the vehicle is activated.
The prior art fails to show a system in which the rapid deceleration of the vehicle is detected to independently from the brake and brakelight system.